LSC loses $6500 in equipment

By Chitra K. Raman

The Lecture Series Committee has been the target of a recent wave of
vandalism and thefts, resulting in an estimated damage and loss of $6500.

The first incident occurred on the weekend of March 2, when 14 of LSC's
18 subwoofers in 26-100 were vandalized and damaged. The Campus Police were
notified immediately, and a reward of $150 was offered.

The next week, just as LSC members, worried about security, were about to
remove the amplifier which powered the subwoofers in 26-100, "Someone beat
them to it," according to Leo C. Creger IV '91, LSC's chairman. An
amplifier of the same type was stolen from 10-250 last semester, he said.

Sometime between March 9 and 11, another subwoofer was stolen out of a
JBL speaker in 10-250.

The speaker losses due to the vandalism and thefts will be difficult for
LSC to replace. "It's $6500 we didn't plan on spending," Creger said.

The repercussions of the thefts are significant, for subwoofers handle
low frequencies, Creger noted. "Without these [subwoofers], the sound
quality at LSC movies won't be all that good," he explained.

"All we can do is hope that our movies do well enough to cover the
[loss]," he added.

LSC is currently offering a reward of $500 leading to relevant
information on the burglaries.

In addition, LSC plans to secure door locks for 10-250 and 26-100 so that
the rooms will be locked after lecture hours.

A replacement speaker, when put in, will overhang the lecture area in
26-100, noted Creger, making it less accessible to potential theft.
However, this installation will require the shutting down of 26-100 at some
point, he added.

Though at this time the identity of the vandals is not known, Creger
said, "We have reason to believe it is someone here at MIT . . . evidently
someone crazy about subwoofers."

According to Campus Police Chief Anne P. Glavin, the Campus Police have
no substantial leads on the thefts.